You don’t have a writing problem—you have a story problem.

In this craft-focused episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert dig into one of the biggest issues holding writers back: ideas that sound interesting but don’t actually sustain a story.

We break down how to pressure-test an idea before you waste months writing it, including:

• The difference between a cool event and a story readers will emotionally invest in • Why conflict—not vibes—drives plot • How character motivation determines whether a story can last past chapter five • The real reason so many novels collapse in the middle • How choices, consequences, and escalation create momentum

If your story feels flat… if things just “keep happening”… or if you’re stuck revising the same manuscript over and over—this episode will help you identify

You don’t have a writing problem—you have a story problem.

In this craft-focused episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert dig into one of the biggest issues holding writers back: ideas that sound interesting but don’t actually sustain a story.

We break down how to pressure-test an idea before you waste months writing it, including:

• The difference between a cool event and a story readers will emotionally invest in • Why conflict—not vibes—drives plot • How character motivation determines whether a story can last past chapter five • The real reason so many novels collapse in the middle • How choices, consequences, and escalation create momentum

If your story feels flat… if things just “keep happening”… or if you’re stuck revising the same manuscript over and over—this episode will help you identify

You don’t have a writing problem—you have a story problem.

In this craft-focused episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert dig into one of the biggest issues holding writers back: ideas that sound interesting but don’t actually sustain a story.

We break down how to pressure-test an idea before you waste months writing it, including:

• The difference between a cool event and a story readers will emotionally invest in • Why conflict—not vibes—drives plot • How character motivation determines whether a story can last past chapter five • The real reason so many novels collapse in the middle • How choices, consequences, and escalation create momentum

If your story feels flat… if things just “keep happening”… or if you’re stuck revising the same manuscript over and over—this episode will help you identify

You don’t have a writing problem—you have a story problem.

In this craft-focused episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert dig into one of the biggest issues holding writers back: ideas that sound interesting but don’t actually sustain a story.

We break down how to pressure-test an idea before you waste months writing it, including:

• The difference between a cool event and a story readers will emotionally invest in • Why conflict—not vibes—drives plot • How character motivation determines whether a story can last past chapter five • The real reason so many novels collapse in the middle • How choices, consequences, and escalation create momentum

If your story feels flat… if things just “keep happening”… or if you’re stuck revising the same manuscript over and over—this episode will help you identify what’s missing and how to fix it.

This is not theory-heavy fluff. It’s practical craft guidance for writers who want to finish strong, write stories that work, and stop guessing their way through plot.

🎧 Perfect for fiction writers, memoirists, and anyone trying to turn an idea into a compelling, market-ready story.

This is not theory-heavy fluff. It’s practical craft guidance for writers who want to finish strong, write stories that work, and stop guessing their way through plot.

🎧 Perfect for fiction writers, memoirists, and anyone trying to turn an idea into a compelling, market-ready story.

This is not theory-heavy fluff. It’s practical craft guidance for writers who want to finish strong, write stories that work, and stop guessing their way through plot.

Perfect for fiction writers, memoirists, and anyone trying to turn an idea into a compelling, market-ready story.

This is not theory-heavy fluff. It’s practical craft guidance for writers who want to finish strong, write stories that work, and stop guessing their way through plot.

Perfect for fiction writers, memoirists, and anyone trying to turn an idea into a compelling, market-ready story. #WritingPodcast #AuthorLife #StoryCraft #PlotDoctor #WritingTips